Imaginary
by twistedwidget
Summary: A disastrous occurrence on the team's yearly vacation causes B.A. to contemplate both his concept of the word "imaginary" and how much he values his friendship with Murdock.
1. Into the Churning Rapids

Disclaimer: Still own nothing.

Chapter One: Into the Churning Rapids

You would think that guys who spent so many hours getting nearly blown up, shot at, and regularly pounded into the ground would choose to spend their downtime in a more peaceful fashion. The four boys who made up the Army Airborne Rangers' best Alpha Unit, however, were so used to their exciting way of life that anything not fraught with some sort of peril bored the shit out of them.

Adrenaline junkies, the lot of them.

Every year since being on the run, (from the very government which should have been kissing their collective ass), Hannibal forced everyone to take a two-week break and do something fun. He knew it was important that they had time to themselves to get away from the stresses and worries associated with their dangerous lifestyle. And though they could never completely relax due to the constant threats of being recaptured, they could at least pull out the fanny packs and sunscreen, and pretend to be four average brothers on a normal American family holiday.

At least for a little while.

Every year Hannibal let one of them choose the place they were to unwind. The only stipulations he had were that they couldn't be near any military base, and it had to be something they could all enjoy. For example, though Murdock would probably have them all skydiving and parasailing, B.A. would probably kill them all in a fit of rage for bringing him along. And who wants to spend their vacation dead?

This time Face was the one who had the honor of selecting, and he didn't disappoint. Whitewater rafting on the Deschutes River in Oregon was a thrilling experience that they weren't soon to forget. They had spent countless hours getting thrown about the rapids in a blue rubber raft Face had scammed from somewhere, posing as a professional whitewater outfitter.

They were enjoying what was to be their final trip down the section of river they had chosen because of its more challenging rapids. Unfortunately, as is the norm with most family vacations, tempers were running a bit thin as exhaustion levels increased. There's only so much fun to be had, after all, and two weeks of endless enjoyment was enough to have most families longing to get back to their usual routine.

B.A. supposed it didn't matter that their "usual routine" involved epic car chases and shaking down criminal bosses… it was still theirs.

Murdock was sitting at the front of the raft, paddle in hand, pushing the boat away from another rock. His untamable hair was slightly bleached from the sun, making it appear more sandy-blonde than its usual brown. Fear of losing his red Airborne cap led him to leave it behind in the van. He had a slight smile on his face as he talked non-stop to his imaginary dog, Billy.

Bosco, who lacked patience with Murdock on the best days, found himself getting more and more tense as the one-sided conversation continued. More than once he imagined himself grabbing the pilot by his navy blue life vest and dangling him from a limb of one of the few trees they passed.

"… we're on is actually called the 'Lower Deschutes', boy." He mimed scratching a dog behind the ear before he pushed them off another rock. "This part is roughly one hundred miles long and stretches from the mouth all the way to Pelton dam. The dam is near Lake Billy Chinook, which sounds like it was named after both you and one of my favorite helicopters," Murdock said before ostensibly sharing a laugh with the damned made up creature.

This was getting sillier by the minute.

"There's no way it could have been though, right boy? I mean they named it in 1964, (before I was even born), so how could they possibly know the name of my dog and the helicopter." The pilot wiped moisture from the spray out of his eyes and appeared to think about it. "I suppose a time machine could be involved…."

*What the fuck?*

Face, sitting beside B.A. in the middle of the raft, decided to encourage Murdock's insane ramblings… naturally. "So who do you think came back in time, bud? If it was you, I'd hope you'd have found some way to slip me some sports scores from the future. Ooh! Or lottery numbers… hey!" The conman rubbed the side of his head where B.A. had smacked him. "What the fuck, man?"

The burly corporal unrepentantly growled at the guy beside him. "Stop encouraging him! The crazy fool will never shut up talkin' to that damned fake dog if you don't stop eggin' him on!"

Hannibal's sigh from the stern of the watercraft was nearly lost as the rapids began to pick up once more. "Now boys…."

Murdock, more than a little ticked off at B.A. for hitting his best friend, interrupted the silver-haired colonel. He obviously wasn't ready to be placated. "Leave Facey alone, B.A! He didn't do nothin'!" He kept going, not letting the large black man get a word in edgewise. "And Billy is not fake! He's as real as you or me!" As if to prove his point, he resumed petting the air beside him before beginning to work the paddle some more.

"As real as your brain, maybe… as in nonexistent, fool!" A one-fingered salute was the pilot's response. Normally he would ignore the rude gesture, but something inside him longed to keep the fight going. Little did he know that his next course of action would come to haunt him for many years.

Leaning forward, B.A. mimicked scooping up a dog with one arm. He ignored the flash of panic in the captain's eyes. "If he's a real dog, you crazy-ass fool, let's see if he can swim like one!" He threw the imaginary animal into the churning rapids, easily dodging Face's grasping hands.

Murdock turned pale with shock before screaming. "Billy! No!"

Face immediately dropped his paddle in a desperate attempt to latch onto his best friend. Unfortunately, the frantic man dove into the frothy water just seconds before Templeton would have reached him.

_To be continued…._

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Reviews make me unbelievably giddy.


	2. Toward the Rocks

Chapter Two: Toward the Rocks

"Murdock," Face screeched as the captain disappeared beneath the water, only to bob back to the surface a few feet down. Maybe it was epically stupid of them to forego helmets on this trip, but they would be forever grateful to have at least had the personal flotation devices.

Everything happened in slow motion. B.A. could do nothing but stare for a moment at the head of one of his best friends as Murdock swam like a man possessed to rescue something that only he could see.

He was swimming toward the rocks.

A shrill sound pierced the air as Hannibal blew the safety whistle, alerting all rafters in the area that there was a man overboard. Though the camaraderie was strong in situations like this, there weren't any other rafting crews close enough to help.

The whistle also managed to bring Bosco out of his shock long enough to take up his paddle and help the other two with the frantic rowing.

* * *

Murdock wasn't aware of the panic his swift exit from the boat had caused. Even if he had been, he wouldn't have cared. Instead, his mind was reeling from the fact that his best non-human friend… the only friend he'd had with him in the mental hospitals, was going to drown.

Because of B.A.

His relationship with Bosco had been turbulent from the very first time they met. And yes, he was well aware of the fact that he didn't make a very good first impression on the ranger, but lightning bolts were so awesome… he thought the big guy would be stoked. Maybe it was wrong to play doctor, but he'd always been a socially backwards individual. The thorazine he'd been on only served to magnify that trait.

Did he mention that lightning bolts were awesome?

James had been the recipient of a multitude of threats from his friend, ranging from death and dismemberment to things much worse. But never in a million, zillion, kabillion years would he ever have believed Bosco would do **this**. The burly corporal was like a snarling, growly teddy bear. Or so he had thought.

Why would he try to kill Murdock's fourth best friend? If he was so angry with the pilot, why take it out on poor little Billy, who'd never bitten a single postman or chased a cat in his life? As far as he knew, B.A.'s chief complaint about the canine was the fact that he was invisible. That's no reason to murder him. When did that become a crime?

He heard Hannibal's whistle sound from upstream moments before his foot caught on a rock and pulled him beneath the surface. He absently shook the appendage free and continued to fight his way to Billy, who was getting closer and closer to an outcropping of jagged-looking rocks. The constant struggle with the current was exhausting, but the motivation was too high to give up.

*I'm coming, boy!*

He caught a flash of yellow in his peripheral vision and glanced over to see that one of his friends had tossed the throw bag containing the safety rope to him. Grabbing hold of the bag wouldn't do Billy any good if the boys pulled him in now, so he disregarded it and continued his mission.

* * *

"Damn it!" Face pulled the safety rope back in, frustrated that Murdock had ignored it. There was no way he could have missed the glaring yellow bag that had nearly smacked him in the face! Knowing that a second throw would prove just as useless, he snatched up his paddle again and used every ounce of his muscle to get to the man before he did something as stupid as getting himself killed.

If it hadn't been for the fact that they needed every rower, Templeton Peck would have happily pushed Baracus into the river himself.

No matter what happened, the two of them were going to be having words later.

* * *

Hannibal was so tense that he was shaking. He wasn't concerned with the fact that one of his boys was in the river. Goodness knows they'd all swallowed gallons of water on this trip, but Murdock wasn't playing his part and that's when things got dicey. All of them knew the proper procedures to go through when taking a spill, especially with the rapids as rough as the ones they were currently fighting.

He should be relaxing his body with his feet pointed downstream, ready to protect himself from any rock he came near. Not to mention the fact that he should have grabbed the fucking rope bag that Lieutenant Peck all but put in his pocket.

Murdock, however, wasn't thinking about his own safety. The colonel had no problems with James' imaginary friends and personas, usually. They had proven to be a constant source of entertainment and levity amid the chaos that normally encompassed their lives. But this he couldn't abide. Never before has one of Murdock's hallucinations threatened to harm any of his boys, unless one actually believed the corporal would one day act on some of his more colorful threats.

The silver-haired colonel tightened his jaw as Murdock hit another rock, certain to leave a raw scrape along the side of his face. He heard face yell out his favorite four letter expletive and shook his head.

"Let's pick up the pace boys," he yelled out to them. "Focus on the here and now, not the what ifs!"

Bosco was going to be running so many laps after this accursed rescue was over.

To be continued...

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I had originally planned to wait a few days to write this chapter, but I've never received so many reviews for one chapter before. I wasn't kidding when I said that comments make me giddy. Thanks so much for reading!


	3. At the Waterside

Chapter Three: At the Waterside

James Murdock thought that he could safely say he knew how it felt to be a salmon making his way upstream to spawn. His muscles were screaming in agony, and he was feeling lightheaded from lack of sufficient air. In fact, he'd been dunked so many times that if someone were able to fast-forward the evolutionary process he'd be sporting gills about now.

He ignored the sharp sting of another rock as it impacted with his left shoulder. At this point James had so many bumps, bruises, and cuts that he'd be lucky to still be recognizable when he got back to the raft.

On the plus side, Billy, (though tiring from his own struggles), seemed to be okay. It took him a few more minutes of inching his way closer, but Murdock nearly cried in relief as he wrapped his arm around the tired dog. He rejoiced as the canine started licking his face in relief and joy.

Though not far from the riverbank, James seriously doubted he had enough strength left in him to get there. He looked around for the raft and saw, much to his happiness, that it was fairly close to him. The respite was short-lived, however, at the looks of horror painted on the faces of his brothers-in-arms. Face was screaming something he couldn't make out due to the roaring of the rapids, but the frantic gesturing at something behind the pilot gave him the general idea that something bad was coming up.

Sure enough, H.M. glanced behind him and saw what had terrified his friends. He was quickly approaching a huge craggy rock that was about to turn him into hamburger meat if he didn't do something soon. His grip reflexively tightened on Billy.

Determined to at least get his dog out of danger, Murdock twisted his body so he was facing the guys. He lifted Billy from the water and prepared to toss him into the raft. Using the last ounce of strength he had, James threw the little dog to his friends, trusting that at least two of them would keep him safe. As he completed the action, he saw something that would stick with him the rest of his life.

B.A. Baracus had lifted his arms and caught Billy before gently setting him down on the bottom of the raft. Hannibal looked momentarily stunned, but Face never slowed in his task of readying the throw bag for another toss. It would prove hopeless, however, because Murdock's ankle was suddenly trapped between two rocks beneath the surface. The current propelled the pilot underwater, where his head struck the huge boulder with so much force that he instantly lost consciousness.

* * *

Bosco felt like he was trapped in a nightmare. He knew he was harder on Murdock than anyone else, but was also aware that he was more protective of him at the same time. Their entire relationship had been built on relentless teasing and false threats. B.A. would have given just about anything to take a ride in Murdock's aforementioned time machine and erase his mistake.

He noticed the crazy man had stopped frantically swimming and felt a tingle of relief when he took it to mean the imaginary dog was in hand. The relief turned to horror when he saw the size of the rock his friend was speeding towards.

Face began screaming the pilot's name while frantically waving his arms, making every attempt to catch the man's attention. "Murdock! Behind you!"

"He sees it, Lieutenant! Get the rope ready," screamed Hannibal in a commanding tone. B.A. and his commanding officer continued fighting to get the raft closer. Just a few more feet and they'd be near enough to pluck him and his dog out of the water. He was about to question his own sanity as he realized that he was now regarding Billy as something tangible.

That thought disappeared when he noticed the captain was preparing to throw the dog into the raft. Terrified of what else would befall his friend if he thought he'd missed the watercraft, B.A. set his paddle down and reached forward to grab the invisible animal that had caused all of this mess.

*Yeah right, dumbass. Blame the invisible dog for your own cockup….*

He mimicked catching the supposedly soggy bundle before placing it, (him?), onto the floor of the raft and grabbing his paddle once more. Templeton, who had moved to Murdock's seat after his departure, was just about to throw the rope when the unthinkable happened.

The pilot's foot must have been grabbed by something underwater, because he was suddenly jerked down moments before he would have hit the rock. He didn't realize then that the stone jutted outwards beneath the surface and Murdock had most definitely felt it's impact.

* * *

Templeton dropped the bag in shock when he saw Murdock disappear beneath the churning water. When he didn't resurface, the conman outright panicked. "Murdock! Fuck!"

It seemed as if hours had passed by the time their raft had reached the boulder, when it had in actuality been seconds. Just as Face was able to lay hands on the rough surface, the unforgiving rapids jerked them around to the side. He knew that if the raft was unable to rest against the front of the rock that it would be difficult to maneuver. Not to mention the fact that getting back to the pilot would be damned near impossible.

He took a deep breath and jumped overboard. Clinging to every rough spot his fingers could find in the rock, Temp inched his way closer to where he'd last seen his best friend. Upon reaching him, it took time he didn't have to release James' ankle from between the two rocks whilst simultaneously trying to keep himself from becoming caught.

When his friend was finally free, Face pulled him up by his lifejacket and wrapped his right arm around the pilot's chest. With Murdock pulled tightly against his own chest, the lieutenant kept hold of the rock with his left, using the massive object to guide him to the shore.

Though the journey should have taken all of his concentration, Face found it impossible to fully pay attention due to the fact that he felt no movement from his best friend's chest. Working on autopilot, Face finally reached dry land with his precious burden.

*Please be breathing, please be breathing, please be breathing!*

Face gently laid Murdock down on the ground and removed the flotation jacket. Placing a palm on the pilot's chest, he snapped his attention to the other two who were rushing toward them with a first aid kit in hand. I seems they had finally made it out of the water, themselves.

"Hannibal, he's not breathing!"

_To be continued…._

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Thanks for reading and reviewing. It's better than ativan!


	4. Into the Sky

Chapter Four: Into the Sky

After screaming the horrifying news, Face wasted no time before beginning CPR. Hannibal slid to his knees beside his fallen ranger in time to begin chest compressions. B.A., who'd felt his legs threaten to buckle at the lieutenant's pronouncement, knelt down at Murdock's head and gently swept the sodden locks out of the pilot's eyes. In doing so, he noticed a frightening bruise across James' forehead and knew his condition was much more serious than they'd thought.

Face also saw the discoloration and dug the plastic baggie containing his cellphone and wallet out of his pocket and tossed it to the corporal before it was time to begin breathing for his best friend once more.

B.A. wasted no time calling emergency services and securing help. He vaguely heard something about a rescue helicopter as he noticed another rafting crew had come upon the scene and were crowding around to see if they could offer assistance.

*Why couldn't they have come by before now?* He cursed himself for the uncharitable thought. It wasn't their fault he was a lousy friend. Bosco clenched his eyes closed as he felt a sob welling up inside him. He hadn't cried in front of anyone other than his mama since he was eight years old, and he wasn't about to start now.

Instead, he focused on the terrifying scene before him and gently ran his fingers through Murdock's hair.

* * *

Face nearly broke down in relieved tears when Murdock gasped for breath. He began fighting to expel the water from his lungs, so Hannibal ordered him to secure the pilot's head and neck before rolling him on his side. He was startled when a crowd of rafters rejoiced James' return to life. Smiling gratefully at the concerned spectators, he took a deep breath to still his turbulent emotions before Hannibal had him lay Murdock back down.

A large man in his mid-forties came up and offered up a tee shirt that he had wrung out and rolled up. "Here, use this to help support his neck. It looks like he took a hell of a dive in the rocks."

Hannibal expressed thanks for the generous act as he made use of the cloth, but the man just waved it away. "It's no prob, man… I'm just glad I wore two today."

Anything else the colonel was about to say was lost as Murdock began moaning. Face leaned in to soothe him as long lashes fluttered against the too-pale skin. "It's okay, buddy. Don't move okay?"

He placed an arresting hand on James' head as he began to turn toward the sound. "Damn it, Murdock I said **don't** move," he said without any true irritation. "You're okay and you're going to stay that way if we have anything to say about it, bud."

Eyes open but unfocussed, James opened his mouth to say something Templeton couldn't quite catch. He leaned in closer and was finally able to understand the words. "I'm sure you are dizzy. You hit your head pretty hard. Just stay still and for the love of all things holy don't close your eyes!"

The pilot perked up a bit as the sound of helicopter rotors began to reach them. He spoke again, but Templeton knew his friend well enough to know that he was subconsciously rattling off the make and model of the approaching aircraft. Murdock was probably even wondering if he could talk them into letting him pilot it to the hospital.

As the helicopter came into sight, making its way up the river towards them, James' nose started bleeding heavily. Hannibal lay one hand on his pilot's shoulder as he rifled through the first aid kit for some gauze to catch the worst of the bleeding. Face quickly closed the kit when the rotor wash threatened to send all of their supplies into the river.

Bosco leaned as far over Murdock as he could in order to protect him from the choppy air and the debris that came with it without getting in the colonel's way. Murdock blinked hazily up at the dark-skinned man, but Face doubted that the pilot was really taking in anything other than the sound of the red and blue ambulance chopper beside him.

Paramedics reached them quickly with a backboard and other paraphernalia and wasted no time assessing the situation before strapping him down. Murdock's brows furrowed when he realized he was immobile, but otherwise made no complaint.

*He probably realizes he won't get to fly this bird.* Face smirked at his own thought, imagining his friend trying to work the controls in his condition. After a brief argument with the helicopter crew about their regulations regarding the number of passengers allowed, they were all begrudgingly granted permission to board.

Bosco shook his head as the usual fear of flying kicked in and began to back away. "I ain't flyin' Hannibal!"

If he was expecting any arguments from the colonel, he was disappointed. Hannibal's steely grey eyes met B.A.'s brown gaze. Something undefinable passed between them before the older man shrugged and boarded the aircraft.

Face nearly felt bad for the corporal as he saw a flash of pain cross B.A.'s face. But then he looked over to his best friend who was wearing a neck brace and strapped to a board as the emergency crew began hooking him up to tubes and electrodes.

His deep blue orbs turned back to the larger man. "Suit yourself," he said with his own shrug before hopping in the aircraft moments before it rose.

B.A. was left on the ground to contemplate his own role in this disaster.

_To be continued…._

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I know two chapters in one night is highly unusual, but I felt guilty for the cliffhanger I left you with on the last one. Hope you enjoy!


	5. In the Waiting Room

A/N: Important message at the bottom of this chapter.

Chapter Five: In the Waiting Room

B.A. was in shock. This was the first time his friends hadn't fought to keep him with them despite his all-encompassing fear. He'd graciously been given a lift to the team's original pick-up spot by the other rafters and, after stripping the team's watercraft of everything important, took that time to think about the full ramifications of his mistake.

Murdock had to be airlifted to the fucking hospital… because of him. Because he couldn't get his head out of his ass long enough to realize that just because he couldn't believe in Murdock's hallucinations didn't mean his friend didn't. He knew how much Billy meant to the pilot. The crazy fool had once stopped one of his meds cold turkey, suffering through the resulting withdrawal, simply because the drug made the dog "go away too much."

The pilot had said Billy must not have liked the way it smelled in his system.

Remembering that incident made him want to bash his own head against some rocks. Murdock had barricaded himself in that tiny bathroom for three days, threatening to shoot anyone who even made the attempt to drag him out while they paced and worried and made a few threats of their own. Face had tried bargaining with James, and at one point had even thought to con him.

Bosco had been right when he'd told the lieutenant that it wouldn't work. Murdock was the one person on planet Earth that was immune to Face's scams.

It had all been for naught, however. In the end Murdock only left the room when he'd heard Billy calling him from the other side of the door.

He was pulled from his memories when the pick-up site came into view.

After the group had dropped him off, he shook their hands and once again thanked them for their compassion while they wished he and his friends well. Bosco made his way to the van and slid into the driver's seat. He rested his head against the wheel for a moment before turning around to look into the back. Murdock's Airborne cap lay lifelessly on the captain's seat, looking distinctly out of place without its owner.

B.A. growled and started the van before peeling out of the parking lot. Thinking about how much he loved his friend, who was at that very moment injured, (possibly severely), the corporal made the long drive to the hospital.

He had to make this right somehow.

* * *

Hannibal would gladly rip off his own right leg at that moment if it allowed him to smoke a cigar in the emergency waiting room. Face, who was in charge of aliases and whatnot was at the desk taking care of the check-in process while Murdock had been whisked away to be examined. He wouldn't dare leave the room until one of his boys was there to receive any updates on the captain's condition.

James Peterson… that was Murdock's name for this hospital visit. Short, simple, and common enough to hopefully keep them off the radar. Thankfully the lieutenant was so anal about them being fully prepared for an event such as this. He had made certain they all had fake id's slotted neatly in their wallets along with social security cards, insurance cards, and the like. He, himself was John Peterson, here on vacation with his biological sons James and Theodore, and his adopted son Bruce.

Bruce had rarely left his mind since Murdock was transferred to the paramedics.

Hannibal sighed as he attempted to make himself more comfortable in the horrid orange and brown floral-printed chair. He wasn't furious with Bosco… more disappointed. John knew Face felt the same way, but was choosing to hold on to his anger until he knew for certain his closest friend was going to be okay.

B.A. wasn't a monster, and Hannibal couldn't love him anymore if he truly had been his father. He felt the same way about all his boys, but there wasn't a doubt in his mind that if the big guy had known what would happen he never would have "thrown" Billy into the river. Sometimes Hannibal thought that Bosco was even more overprotective of Murdock than Face. Only his lack of patience when it came to dealing with the captain's various mental ailments kept him from being as close to H.M. as was Templeton.

It was a mistake, nothing more. Hannibal was sure the corporal was beating himself up, and he knew that they were all so tightly knit that forgiveness would readily come as soon as the sting of betrayal died down. He also knew Murdock had most likely forgiven B.A. as soon as Billy was safe - if he'd even truly gotten angry with him in the first place. H.M. was not easy to anger, but he was always quick to forgive if they ever succeeded in sparking his ire.

He knew he had hurt Bosco by leaving him back at the riverside, but the aforementioned disappointment had flared at the time. If B.A. couldn't put his fears aside long enough to escort his brother to the hospital, then perhaps he needed the long drive to clear his head and come to some sort of understanding of the situation.

Hannibal didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, but it occurred to him that Face should have returned ages ago. Mind already jumping to the possibility that they had been recognized, the colonel snuck to the doorway and peeked around the corner to the admitting desk. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed Templeton standing by the plexiglass window on the other side of the structure, gazing unseeingly at the world outside.

Knowing from the kid's body language that company wouldn't be appreciated, John made his way back to his ugly, uncomfortable chair and settled in to wait for news on his middle child.

He'd kill for a cigar right then.

* * *

Bosco entered the hospital reluctantly. His nose scrunched up at the gut wrenching smell of alcohol and disinfectants, which he'd always associated with death after watching his father die in the intensive care ward when he was a child. He prayed to every god he'd ever heard of that Murdock would be spared that fate. Absently clenching the pilot's red cap in his grip, B.A. followed the signs to the waiting room to locate his teammates.

He let out a breath he'd unconsciously been holding when he noticed slight worry and boredom on Hannibal's face. No bad news, then… no good news, but lack of good news was still better than bad any day of the week.

Face, who'd been thumbing through some old magazine, dropped the periodical and stood up to face him. B.A. opened his mouth to ask if they'd been given any information when the lieutenant reached back and punched him hard in the jaw. Not expecting the attack, Bosco staggered back before catching his balance.

For the first time in his entire life, B.A. Baracus didn't hit back.

_To be continued…._

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As always, thank you guys so much for sticking with me and reviewing. I'll probably be wrapping this story up soon because I'm being forced into a trip to Louisiana on the 17th and don't want to leave anything hanging. The trip will last around a month, or so I'm told, and I have no idea if the place I'll be will have internet access, as it's in the middle of nowhere.

I'm offering you readers a challenge: **Give me prompts to fill while I'm gone.** If you've read any of my stories, you know I prefer Murdock. I'll consider anything you want... slash, gen, humor, angst, movie, original series... no major character deaths, though. Also no major Amy, Sosa, Pike, Lynch, and **especially** no Tawnia! You can send it to me via a review, or as a PM from my profile page. Don't be shy... I will consider all of them, and I certainly don't judge others. (Except Tawnia... I **loathe** her!). If you wish to remain anonymous, tell me not to mention you when I post and it'll be our secret.

The prompt can be as vague or detailed as you'd like, and I'll do my damnedest to fill it for you. If you're unsure of what I mean, take my other story "Faking Crazy" as an example. I was prompted to write a Face/Murdock slash fic where "Five times Murdock faked being crazy and the one time he wasn't pretending". Have fun prompting so I can have fun writing!


	6. At His Bedside

Chapter Six: At His Bedside

After getting socked in the face, Bosco sighed despondently and took the seat next to Hannibal. He jumped, startled, when his CO wrapped an arm around his shoulder and hugged him briefly. Face looked as if the fight had gone out of him when B.A. walked away. Regret shone in the deep blue eyes before they were again hidden by the ancient copy of "Men's Health."

"We still don't know anything yet, son." The words had barely left Hannibal's mouth when an older male doctor showed up, looking for the family of James Peterson. They left the otherwise empty waiting room and followed the man who had introduced himself as Dr. Ralph Wicker. He led them into a tiny office and invited them to sit before doing so himself.

Dr. Wicker steepled his fingers and looked each man in the eye before saying, "I'm going to be blunt because we don't have a lot of time to tiptoe around this. James' examination brought some troubling news."

Face gasped and clutched at his head as if he could halt any more unwanted news from piercing his ears. The other two merely stiffened, not ready to believe that Murdock wouldn't come out of this whole and happy. None said anything, taking the doctor at his word when he said time was of the essence.

"When we got him back I noticed some signs which were telling me he was suffering from elevated intracranial pressure, which is a fancy term meaning swelling of the brain. I had him undergo a CT scan which confirmed my original diagnosis."

"What needs to be done," Hannibal asked with a raspy voice.

The doctor sighed. "Normally we'd treat the patient with oxygen, fluids, and/or medication and keep a close eye on them until the swelling goes down on its own. But I'm afraid the severity of your son's case leaves us with no choice but to go in surgically and remove a piece of his skull."

Face jerked his head up and stared at the doctor as if he'd just said they were going to chop off Murdock's head and replace it with a goat's. His red splotchy face gave silent testament to the silent tears he'd shed. "You're going to take out part of his skull?!"

Dr. Wicker raised his hands in a placating manner. "Only a small piece of it. This will give his brain a little more room to swell without putting any additional pressure on it. The procedure is called a decompressive craniectomy, and I'll need your signed permission before we take him to surgery, Mr. Peterson."

Hannibal thought about it for a moment. "And if he doesn't go through with it?"

"Then he'll die," the doctor stated matter-of-factly.

Bosco covered his face with his hands and felt like screaming. Beside him Face gave a choked sob and stood up before turning away from the entire scene. Hannibal simply sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before holding his hand out for the permission forms. He signed his alias to each one quickly before returning the clipboard. "Can we see him before you take him back?"

The doctor thought about it for a moment before nodding quickly. "I'll give you five minutes before sending him to get prepped for surgery." He stood up, and again met their eyes. "I know that all I've told you is difficult to hear, but I truly feel this procedure is James' best hope for survival. If it eases your minds, I'm not anticipating any complications."

Hannibal nodded. "Thank you doctor. I'd like to see my son now."

* * *

Murdock was unrecognizable. Face had spent two of their five allotted minutes staring at what they told him was his brother, but all he could see was tubes, wires, and machines. Bruises stood out stark against his pale skin, made more vivid by the white linens covering him. His hair, which earlier today had seemed almost blonde, appeared to have darkened nearly back to its normal shade in a matter of hours.

An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth and his eyes were closed, as they had been the last time he'd seen him. Templeton nearly caused himself to start sobbing by wondering if he'd ever again see the green eyes open. Instead, he bit the inside of his cheek hard, letting the pain give him focus before reaching down to grab the cold hand. Hannibal was on the pilot's other side holding on to Murdock's left hand and was whispering something in his ear.

Bosco stood at the end of the bed, seeming almost angry in the face of what was going on. Templeton bent down to whisper his own words to his friend before they were forced to part ways. "Hey buddy. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm gonna say this in case you can. Everything's gonna be alright and I'll be here waiting for you as soon as you come back from the operating room, okay?" He squeezed the icy fingers and rubbed them, absently trying to warm them up.

Face glanced up when he noticed they had come to take James. He bent down to place a kiss on H.M.'s temple. "I love you, man."

He watched with red and itchy eyes as the closest friend he'd ever had was swept away on a gurney.

Though he hadn't been a religious person since his childhood, Templeton decided the chapel would be his next stop.

* * *

Bosco watched as Hannibal and Face each spoke to the unconscious man. When the colonel pulled away, he motioned for the big guy to come forward and take his place. Scared to death, B.A. hesitantly took the pilot's hand.

He squeezed it gently, as if too much pressure would cause his friend irreparable damage. He placed a kiss on the back of the appendage and bent down closer to James' ear. "I'm so sorry, little brother. I know you hate hospitals, and I can't tell you how sorry I am that I'm the reason you're in this one. All I can say is I **am** gonna make it up to you when you come home."

He gently pushed H.M.'s hair out of his face. "And I promise you I **will** be bringing you home."

To be continued….

* * *

You guys are super awesome!


	7. In Their Hearts

Chapter Seven: In Their Hearts

The wait was excruciating. Templeton thought he'd been in danger of exploding while waiting for James to get through his initial examination, but that was nothing compared to this. They'd been in there for hours! Hours where they had his buddy laid out on a table like a piece of meat while impersonal hands cut into him, touching a part of him that no one had ever physically laid eyes on before.

And maybe those hands were fighting for H.M.'s life, but how long would they be willing to battle for a life they'd never celebrated? How could they understand how important their task was when they hadn't been there with him through all the pilot's highs and lows. They'd never stayed up all night with James when he was terrified that the hallucination threatening him would attack while his defenses were low. They had never seen the manic gleam in the green eyes when Pike's clothes and all the towels had "mysteriously disappeared" from the showers, and the asshole had been forced to streak through the base back to his tent.

They had no fucking clue. If Murdock died, they may be momentarily disappointed that they'd failed, but they would go on with their happy little lives and soon dismiss him from memory.

Face absently ran fingers through his hair before collapsing in the waiting room chair. *If he dies, I'm going to….* Well, he didn't know what he would do, but he knew whatever it was would be loud and gut-wrenching.

Movement at the doorway had them glancing up. When Face saw it was Dr. Wicker, he sprang to his feet and would have grasped the surgeon's arms in desperation if Bosco hadn't gently held him back. Hannibal faced the other man with worry saturating his expression.

Templeton let out an explosion of breath as the doctor smiled. "Everything's looking good… better than I'd hoped, actually." Dizziness hit the conman hard after the pronouncement. He didn't hear the concerned voices calling his name, nor did he feel himself being led to a chair and made to put his head down between his legs. As the room stopped spinning and he felt like he could finally breathe again, all he knew was that his prayers had been answered.

His brother would be okay.

* * *

Murdock felt… floaty and weighted down. He knew that was a contradiction, but it was truly the best description he could come up with. He remembered enough to know he was in another fucking hospital. Thankfully he wasn't in a straitjacket, nor did the drugs flowing through his system feel like the usual anti-psychotic cocktail. *So I'm in the regular, "Let me wake this guy up to give him a sleeping pill and quit pulling out your catheter Mr. Murdock… you'll pee like a man when I tell you so," hospital.*

He must not have talked to anyone, then. It normally didn't take very long to listen to him conversing with something they couldn't see before they drug out the Rorschach ink blot test.

Sometimes he wishes he could go back in time and make an ink blot out of Rorschach himself.

James gave an involuntary moan as he fought his way out of the vat of molasses he'd been swimming through. He immediately felt hands on him, but whatever drug they had hit him with kept him from panicking as he normally would have done. A few seconds more of struggling with consciousness had him recognizing that the touch was coming from his friends.

No nurse's hands were ever that warm.

Whoever was holding his right hand squeezed, infusing him with enough strength to complete his journey. Blinking open his bleary eyes, he took a moment to be thankful that the lights in the room were dimmed. James always considered hospital lighting to be harsh and artificial.

Three faces were staring down at him. They all looked like crap, but their wide grins were enough to bring one to his own face. "Hi guys," Murdock's voice was weak and scratchy, about one tenth of its normal strength, but his friends acted like it was the best thing they'd ever heard.

"Welcome back, Captain," Hannibal's hand lightly squeezed his shoulder, and James didn't have the heart to tell him the action had hurt like hell. "It's about time you decided to grace us with your presence."

"Yeah, you lazy asshole," Face squeezed his hand again. "I've got much better things to do than watch your ugly ass sleep."

"Ugly?!" Murdock feigned anger. "Compared to you, I'm Helen of fuckin' Troy!"

Temp snorted with humor. "You obviously haven't looked into a mirror yet." He gestured to the pilot's body.

Sure enough, there were all kinds of tubes and shit weaving in and out of him, like they'd just pulled him out of the Matrix or something. And in the rare places where his skin was free of medical paraphernalia, he was adorned by a random bruise or scrape. "Fuck me… am I part cyborg now, like the six million dollar man?"

Still grinning like a loon, Face started laughing. "Six mil? I wouldn't pay a plug nickel for you, you maniac." The words were coupled with an affectionate rubbing of his arm.

As lighthearted as the banter was between he and his best friend, Murdock felt the tension in the air and realized with shock that Bosco hadn't said a single word. At least it was normal for Hannibal to sit back and let the insults flow, but B.A. never missed an opportunity to get a dig in. He looked to see the black man standing beside their commanding officer wearing an expression of relief, mixed with tension.

"You okay, big guy?"

The others looked to the corporal as well, awaiting his answer.

In response, B.A. sighed and came closer before taking his recently discarded seat. Hannibal offered to leave the room with Face so the two could talk, but the large man shook his head. "Naw, Colonel. What I got to say is for all of you to hear." He took a deep breath. "Murdock, man. I'm so sorry for what I did back there on the river."

Murdock smiled. "It's okay. I know that…." He was interrupted when B.A. gently placed a hand across his mouth.

"No, it's not okay. It was stupid and heartless, and I put us all through a lot of shit, but mostly you." Bosco sighed and scratched the back of his head. Murdock knew that the big guy hated anything even remotely touchy-feely, (especially words), so he remained silent while he got everything he needed to say out in the open.

"Murdock, I know I don't say it much, but you're my friend. I don't like it when you see shit that ain't there, but I understand that you do. And normally I can tolerate it better than I did on this trip, but I let my anger take control of me long enough to forget that you **do** actually believe in that dog."

James reached out for Bosco's hand. "I forgive you, B.A. I know you don't believe in Billy, but I also saw you catch him when I threw him to you in the raft."

B.A. seemed embarrassed at the reminder that he had, in fact, caught the invisible dog. "Yeah, well… didn't want all your hard work to be for nothin'."

Murdock laughed lightly. He was already exhausted, but this conversation was draining him even more. "It's all good, B.A. I accept your apology, and so does Billy."

He heard a snort, followed by a softly-murmured, "I didn't ask no invisible dog for a damned apology."

James Murdock fell asleep with a smile on his face.

_End_

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Again, thank you to all you wonderful reviewers for making this so much fun to write. I had originally intended this to be a two-chapter deal, but the awesome comments I got spurred me on. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing this!


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